Coach Ana Santiago's tarot cards. Handout/Ana Santiago

MANILA -- Since ancient times, tarot has been associated with supernatural, mystical, and divination practices.

When things slip off their axis, some people get fascinated by the idea that these beautifully illustrated cards can show them the way in life. Though some view the cards through a more negative lens or relate them to witchcraft, tarot readers say that their rich visual symbolism has been a guide for numerous people.

Tarot reading has grown in popularity, and now, psychics continue to keep the belief alive as more people choose to have their fortunes read physically and now online. 

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Coach Ana Santiago, owner of SoulTribe Tarot Reading Services, is no stranger to asking for signs. She discovered her love for tarot since she was a kid and had a resurgence during the lockdown to contemplate what she wanted in life.

"Before I posted tarot reading contents and read for others, I used the tarot deck for my own self-discovery journey," she said in an online interview.

Santiago explained that because of privacy concerns, discussing certain insights on public places with the querent is quite uncomfortable. 

"But through online, it [allows] the client to freely express their thoughts, concerns, and emotions in the session, which they may find uneasy to do in in-person readings," she added.

Coach Ana Santiago, owner of SoulTribe Tarot Reading Services. Handout/Ana SantiagoShe shared that querents can record the reading and use it as a guide on their journey.

Jenelle Artates, an online tarot reader since 2019, meanwhile said that clients still feel empowered and relieved even when she is frank with them about things that won't work in their lives.

As others portray tarot readings as frightening, Artates finds it much scarier when clients hyperfixate on the readings and believe they don't have power to change their outcome anymore.

"Tarot reading would only be scary to people who think they can't change their fate," the online tarot reader said.

"Even if I also channel a message from someone who has passed away, it is not scary because they typically have a message for the querent," she added.

For Fourth Brutas, a tarot reader for six years now, online psychic services aren't all that different. "As a reader, I believe that everything is energy. No one is that far to be reached by a connection or our energy," he said.

"Everything that comes out in a reading is a thing you're meant to hear to guide you better on your path," Brutas noted.

As tarot readings often lead to introspection, his querent, named JB Bezana, stated that tarot has helped him have courage and wisdom in terms of finalizing decisions.

"Tarot gives me a sense of peace and relieves my anxiety, knowing that I have a glimpse of what's to come for me," he shared.

For these online tarot readers, tarot analyses merely offer paths or outcomes depending on present energies, as they do not impose any outcome but rather expose possibilities and challenges.

"Life is constantly changing, and so are the energies tarot picks up on," Brutas said.

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